Bodyboarders converge on Winklespruit Beach
A large percentage of the junior and boys division riders have demonstrated their prodigious talent by scalping seasoned peers during the team trial’s and are absolutely bouncing off the in anticipation of repeating the process at the 2015 SABA National Bodyboarding Championships.
LAST Sunday afternoon at Winklespruit Lifesaving Club was lively, as it was packed with the top bodyboard riders in the province, all eagerly awaiting the Southern Kwa-Zulu Natal Bodyboarding Association (SKZNBA) announcement of the squad selected to do battle in the South African Bodyboarding Association (SABA) national championships, which will take place between 4 and 10 October in Richards Bay.
The 23 member team is made up of both old and new faces, with the elevated standard of riding during selection this year allowing young (and seasoned) blood a first chance to compete for South African championship honours.
The SKZNBA team claimed the national trophy, “The Fishman”, in 2010 and 2011, and placed third in the years 2012 to 2014, and aim to once again establish dominance in the South African bodyboarding competitive world. Team selection this year was made possible and kept fast paced by Maniac Energy drinks. Local surf giants, Island Style, have provided vital logistic and structural support to the SKZNBA team in the 2015 drive for national glory. SKZNBA looks forward to taking these brands to the SABA national championships and representing them as titles are claimed. The SKZNBA encourages local businesses seeking the opportunity to gain exposure at a SASCOC-sanctioned national sporting event to contact them to hear how they plan on introducing brands to a diverse audience from throughout South Africa. SKZNBA chairman, Bradley Moys, represents the point of contact for all prospective branding partners and is qualified in marketing management. Contact him by email at Bradleymoys@rocketmail.com.
The competitive measure of the team is strengthened this year by a large contingent of Amanzimtoti area riders. New faces, raw talent and determination resulted in several Toti riders being selected for the second year running, and almost as many replacing seasoned riders in the first attempt at provincial selection.
Jamie Rademeyer and Leroy Crawford are the charging veterans introduced to the team, and represent the province in the master’s and men’s division respectively. Dark horses both, it is going to be a pleasure to watch them take more names on their way to the finals. They will be joined in training by local legend and SKZNBA vice-chairman Rory-Fellow Smith, known as 'The Widow Maker' on the SABA tour, as he begins a focussed campaign to claim the coveted professional division trophy.
Martin Grobler proved his stellar performance in past SABA championship events was no mistake, as he retained his position in a super competitive line-up of junior division riders. Reece Hargreaves looks to be a strong new contender for victory, and will join Martin in the junior division campaign after demonstrating his skill level by consistently defeating seasoned riders during the team selection.
Competitive dynamite in the boy’s division this year is provided in the form of local rippers Keegan Lloyd and Jason Sequiera, who as the top two provincial boys’ division seeds represent a serious challenge to all takers at this year’s SABA national bodyboarding championships.
Six professionals, three men, one woman, three dropkneers, two masters, four juniors, three boys and a rider judge have been selected to represent the province this year in their respective divisions.
Two especially eager riders are Dune Barker and Storm Prestwich, both of whom have been taking names in multiple SABA tour events during the build-up to this year’s South African bodyboarding championships. Dune has his competitive sights set on the men’s division trophy, while Storm is looking to reclaim his professional division trophy, which he won for the first time in conjunction with the junior division silverware four years ago in Cape Town. Joining them will be competitive powerhouse and seasoned regular of SABA finals, Emille Von Vollenhoven, as he returns to the competitive arena he once dominated, and local legend and SKZNBA vice-chairman Rory Fellows-Smith, as they begin a focussed campaign to claim the coveted professional division trophy. Fellows-Smith and fellow professional rider Dane Klusener and men’s division rider Dune Barker do double duty, as they are also slated to vie for national honours in the dropknee division.
This year’s SABA national tour women's champ, Skye Bothma, is training hard to claim her first SA championship trophy. A large percentage of the junior and boys' division riders have demonstrated their prodigious talent by scalping seasoned peers during the team trial’s and are absolutely bouncing off the in anticipation of repeating the process at the 2015 SABA national bodyboarding championships. Experienced charger Jamie Rademeyer has to date utilised the 'dark horse attack' to devastating effect – show up as an unknown, ride exceedingly well and leave spectators and fellow competitors wondering who on earth it was that just obliterated every other rider in that heat. It is a strategy that the masters division contestants who will face him in the final heat are soon to learn. Backing up the creaky attack will be experienced competitor Morgan Phillips, who is looking to finally wrap his hands around the trophy that has been within reach in the past.
The entire team is:
Professional: Rory Fellows-Smith, Storm Prestwich, Wesley Coetzee, Dane Klusener, Emile Von Vollenhoven, Bradley Moys.
Men: Dune Barker, Dean Collocott and Leeroy Crawford. Woman: Skye Bothma. Dropknee: Dune Barker, Dane Klusener and Rory Fellows-Smith.
Masters: Jamie Rademeyer and Morgan Phillips. Juniors: Sean Wilson, Martin Grobler, Codi Butterworth and Reece Hargreaves. Boys: Keegan Lloyd, Jason Sequiera and Phumelele Songani. Team judge: Mickey Gomes.
